Microtome



. R. SLEE.

` (No Model.)

MIGROTOME.

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UNITED STATES Arnett Ormes.

RICHARD SLEE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IVI l C R O T O Nl E SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,174, dated February 20, 1894.

Application filed April 8. 1893. Serial No. 46 9,586. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD SLEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Microtomes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to microtomes, the object being to simplify their construction with a view to lessening the cost of manufacture, and also to produce a machine having various adjusting devices which facilitate its manipulation and render itpossible to perform the most satisfactory work.

The invention consists of the details of construction which will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, the end of the frame being removed; and Fig. 3 is a detail.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A represents the base upon which the parts are mounted, and A the two end pieces or main portions of the frame. These two end pieces have rearward, upwardly inclined extensions a in which are mounted two rods b, circular or prismatic in cross-section. rlhese rods form guides upon which the knife carrier c slides. The knife carrier consists of a rectangular frame, through the end pieces of which the two rods above mentioned pass. of the frame a hand wheel w is mounted, and this is connected with the knife carrier by a rod w. When the wheel is rotated, the carrier reciprocates on the guide rods b. The knife carrier supports the knife block d, which consists of a solid block of metal having a horizontal upper surface and an inclined lower surface parallel to the knife carrier. This block is provided with two lugs d at each end near its lower edge, which, when the block is adjusted to the carrier, rest in notches c formed in the upper edges 4of the end pieces of the carrier. These notches in the carrier are variously located, so that the block may be adjusted to a more or less elevated position in order to raise the knife whenever desired.

On the top and near the middle of the front edge of the knife block, is a knife clamp consisting of a fixed jaw e secured by means of a lscrew e and a pivoted jaw e2. A set screw e3 passing through the rear end of the pivoted jaw and bearing against the xed jaw, is used to vary the pressure between the two jaws and thus clamp or release the knife.

f represents the knife blade which occupies ahorizontal plane and having its edge slightly oblique to the front edge of the knife block. Between the main portions of the frame are mounted two fixed parallel rods g, g which are inclined to the base, as shown. Upon these rods the section carrier slides as a guide'. The section carrier consists of an L-shaped block 7L, having two inclined holes through which the rods g pass. Between the rods is another opening through the section carrier, through which passes a feeding screw i, threaded throughout its entire length and mounted in pivoted bearings t" in each of the end frames. The rod projects through one of the end frames and is fitted on the end with a hand wheel i2 by which it may be rotated as desired. On one side of the section carrier is mounted a short pivoted lever j having a spring j bearing upon it, and having formed at one end a semi-circular seat which is threaded to correspond with the thread of the feed rod t'. This seat normally is held in contact with the rod by the springj, but may be withdrawn therefrom by pressing on the outer end of the lever. When the hand wheel t2 is rotated, the sect-ion carrier is caused to move along on the rods g through the engagement of this lever with the feed rod. By means of this disengaging feeding device, the section carrier may be moved quickly to any desired point on the guide rods to locate the position of the section when the cutting operation begins. A

Upon the front face of the section carrier is mounted a clamp carrier consisting also of an L-shaped piece lo and aplate lo removably attached to the face thereof by means of a screw 7a2. This clamp carrier runsinordinary dove-tailed, vertical guides k3 formed on the face of the section carrier and it is adapted to be adjusted vertically therein by means of a vertical threaded screw Z which is mounted looselyin the horizontal portion of the section carrier and is fitted with a hand wheel Z at its lower end. This screw passes through a hole IOO in the horizontal portion of the clamp carrier and between two threaded clamping jaws Z2 carried by the clamp carrier on its under side, as shown in Fig. 3. These clamping jaws are pivoted levers similar to the lever j and upon each a spring bears to hold it in contact with the screw. When thescrew is rotated and the jaws are in engagement therewith, the clamp carrier is caused to move in a vertical direction.

In the upper end of the clamp carrier is formed a spherical socket, one-half being formed each in the main portion of the clamp carrier and the plate c; in this socket the clamp is held. The clamp consists of two jaws m, fm', the latter being pivoted at its lower end to the former, and the former having at its lower end a ball which fits into the spherical socket in the upper end of the clamp carrier. The two jaws are pressed apart by a coiled spring 'm2 and may be forced together by a thumb-screw m3. The clamping faces of the jaws are adjustable. They consist of the two plates 'n facing each other, and pivoted respectively to the outer ends of the two mainv jaws; they thus may be swung vertically to a limited extent to accom modate themselves to the size and shape of the section to be operated upon. By reason of the ball and socket connection with the clamp carrier, the jaws may be put into any position desired. After once adjusted to the proper position, they are secured by means of the thumbscrew o which enters the side of the clamp carrier and impinges against the lower side of the ball, thus forcing it upward against the spherical walls of the socket and holding it by friction in position. It will be observed that by releasing the threaded clamping jaws Z2 from the screw Z, the clamp carrier may be lifted bodily out of the guides for the purpose of adjusting the section to be cut, or for repairs.

In the operation of this machine, the section to be cut is adjusted in the clamping jaws and tightened therein, then the jaws are swung on their ball and socket pivot into the position which will make the cut at the proper angle, then the clamp carrier is adjusted vertically to suit the size of the section or distance which it projects above the jaws, and

then, if necessary, the knife block is also adjusted to the proper point with respect to the height of the section. l With all these adjustments, any variety of shape and size ot' section may be operated upon, and this elimiknates a great deal of the Work in preparingthe section before it is putinto the machine. The operator then grasps with one hand the wheel 2, and with the other, the hand wheel w. The continuous rotation of the hand wheel causes the knife to make its strokes successively, and upon each stroke, the section carrier is moved upward on the inclined guide rods by rotating the wheel 2. The thickness of that portion of the section which is removed by each cut, is, of course, determined by the amount which the wheel 2 is rotated.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a microtome, a main frame consisting of two end pieces between which are mounted two pairs of guide rods, in combination with a reciprocating knife carrier moving upon one pair of the guide rods, the rods passing through it and a sliding section carrier moving upon the other pair of guide rods, the rods also passing through it, the knife carrier moving in a horizontal plane,and the section carrier moving in an oblique plane, substantially as described.

2. In a microtome, the combination `of a main frame, a pair Ot' inclined guide rods, a section carrier movable upon said rods, afeeding screw passing through said section carrier and mounted at its extremities in pivoted bearings, and a split nut barried by the section carrier and engaging with the feed rod to cause the carrier to move when said rod is turned.

3. In a microtome, a reciprocating knife carrier,a weighted knife block mounted thereon and a knife carried thereby, in combination with a hand wheel and connections between the same and the carrier whereby the latter may be reciprocated.

In testimony whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD SLEE.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, W. A. OPPERMAN. 

